Updated October 2026
Across 5 pages
of 5
Greek
"kiss"
Rarely heard New Testament name -- he was a friend of Saint Paul -- that might conceivably stand up to modern usage.
Diminutive of Margaret, Greek
"pearl"
Just when we had written off Peggy as the eternal perky, pug-nosed prom-queen she projected from the 1920s into the fifties, along came Mad Men , with intriguing mid-century characters with names…
"chaste maiden"
Parthenia may be a bit unwieldy, but does conjure up majestic images of the Parthenon. It was briefly in the US charts in the late 19th century.
Italian and Spanish from Greek
"purple dye"
This ancient saint's name was borne by the infamous midcentury playboy, Porfirio Rubirosa.
"aggressive, warlike"
Pronounced "TAHL-a-mee," this was the name of one of Alexander the Great's generals and several Greco-Egyptian rulers, as well as the name of a famous Greek astronomer. Actress Gretchen Mol brought…
"loving"
Could Philo be the next Milo? We love the o-ending and sweet meaning of this dynamic and distinctive Greek name, often used in literature, but never particularly popular. The ancient Philo (aka Philo…
"green bough"
Phyllis has been used by classical poets for the idealized pastoral maiden. A Greek mythological name of a woman who was turned into an almond tree, Phyllis was in the Top 100 from 1916 to 1958,…
"far-famed"
Ancient Athenian statesman whose name was once used in the US mostly for enslaved people, following a trend for names of ancient figures.
"rock"
Piers was the first version of Peter to reach the English-speaking world, via the Normans, but it's never made it in the US, despite its large measure of understated panache. This might change due to…
"very sweet"
Made cool by that final X (as seen in Felix, Lennox, and Rex), Pollux is the Romanized form of Polydeukes, the half-twin of Castor, and the son of Zeus and Leda. Associated with the Gemini…
"Persian woman"
Parents seeking a distinctive New Testament name might consider this one. Adopted by some Puritans in the seventeenth century, Persis was used in the William Dean Howells novel The Rise of Silas…
Greek place-name
"brotherly love"
Place-name mentioned in the New Testament and not yet on the name map. Philadelphia Thursday was the character played by Shirley Temple in John Ford's 1948 "Fort Apache."
"supreme gift"
A bit pharmaceutical, not to mention hatlike.
"rock, stone"
Petronelle and sisters Petronella and Petronel are all relatives of Petra, a feminization of Peter. They are old names, but extremely rare.
Pipitsa is an uncommon feminine name with Greek origins, functioning as an affectionate diminutive form. In Greek usage, it serves as a cute, endearing nickname, similar to how English speakers might…
Petrini is a feminine name with Italian roots, derived from the masculine name Petrino, which is a diminutive form of Pietro (Italian for Peter). The name ultimately traces back to the Greek 'petros'…
English from Greek
"leaf"
Petal is the soft and sweet-smelling name of a character in the novel and film, The Shipping News . With the rise of such flower names as Poppy and Posy, we believe Petal — down-to-earth yet romantic…
Petronella, and its shorter sister Petra, are both feminizations of Peter. While Petronella is a name with deep history, it's extremely rare. It was given to no baby girls on record in the US last…
Petrina is a feminine name with classical roots, derived from the Latin name Petrus, meaning "rock" or "stone." It's essentially the feminine form of Peter, carrying connotations of strength and…
Pesha is a feminine name with Yiddish and Eastern European Jewish origins. Traditionally, it's considered a diminutive form of biblical names like Perpetua or Persian names meaning 'flower.' In some…